Time to Mend
by Maverick92
Summary: The events of that terrible, yet triumphant, day were still entirely to vivid in her mind. She wanted to forget, but she also wanted keep those memories. More than anything she wanted to keep them. Reylo one shot that takes place after TROS. Major Spoilers!


**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, or any of its epic characters. **

**Authors note: This one shot contains major spoilers for Rise of the Skywalker, you've been warned! I loved the movie, and I wanted to start of this year with a nice one shot.**

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Nearly three weeks after the war ended, Rey found herself sitting cross legged atop her AT-AT walker on Jakku. In a few days the others would meet up with her to set out on a clean-up mission. Until then Rey wanted to mediate in solitude for a short while, and Jakku seemed like a good place to do just that.

Peace was a foreign feeling to her. Her whole life had been a battle to survive. It was long days, and even longer nights on a planet that wanted her no more than it wanted tall trees, and grass covered fields. Peace was a fantasy she'd only ever heard mentioned from time to time, but never felt it. Not truly. Even now she wondered if the deep aching inside her was supposed to be this peace, or if it was something else.

At times she wondered how long this new age of peace would last, but those were futile thought. The better question was, how long until the next power crazed villain decided to take action, and how many trained in the force would there be when that happened? Thoughts for another day, she decided. For now, all she wanted to do was to mend, and to move forward. The first was easier said then done. Mending, as it turned out, wasn't an easy task.

The events of that terrible, yet triumphant, day were still entirely to vivid in her mind. She wanted to forget, but she also wanted keep those memories. More than anything she wanted to keep them.

She scanned the horizon, it was faraway, and growing hazy under the orange sky. In a moment of longing she imagined a dark figure walking in the distance. Deep brown eyes, ash colored hair. A welcome breeze caressed her cheeks. She leaned into the touch as her eyes fell closed.

_ Rey… _

Her eyes snapped open, the figure in her imagination was gone.

The selfish side of her wished the end of the war had come from different circumstances. More than anything she wished she hadn't been the only one to have walked away from the battle of Exogol. Nothing had felt more certain then when Ben stood at her side facing the darkness with her. She had felt the force within them. It laced through their souls, and bound their very beings together.

Kylo Ren the Supreme Leader of the First Order had deserved to die. Ben Solo the son of Han, and Leia did not. There was still so much potential for his life, and yet he'd selflessly given it to her.

In his final moments, Rey felt nothing but love and compassion from him. Happiness. He's emotions where so overpowering she couldn't feel sadness, or anger. She felt whole, after he'd died. It was something she'd never experienced before and it gave her the strength to stand, and leave Exogol behind her.

She breathed in deeply. "Be with me." She whispered between every other breath. "Be with me." Reaching out with the force, the planet came alive for her. She felt the sand creatures far to the west stalking through the desert in search of a meal. She also felt a couple scavengers not much further to the south, tiered after a long day, but still wanting to turn in their finds before night.

Despite the pain and loneliness this wretched planet had brought her, it was familiar. There was a part of her that was fond of the endless sand, and long days. Jakku had been her home, and she found comfort in its familiarity. Maybe that's why she came back, to mend where she'd attempted mended herself time and time again. Maybe this time she would succeed.

"Be with me." She willed the force, "Ben, be with me." The aching carved through her. "Please be with me," pain seared into the depth of her soul. Desperate for an answer she searched further, and further, until a string, so fragile, pulled tight. Slowly another soul joined with her own, wrapping around her heart then expanding outwards, engulfing her in a warmth unlike the heat of Jakku, or the flames of fire. It was what she'd been craving. She felt it push back the aching in her chest, and replace it with the same wholeness she'd felt nearly three weeks ago.

The world drew in a breath, and went still. The sand creatures, and scavengers vanished into the haze. Her heightened senses were hyper focused.

_I'm with you._ A voice she longed to hear whispered in her thoughts.

Rey sensed his presences behind her. She stood, and turned around. "Ben." A shimmer of light in the force, Ben's force ghost stood on the AT-AT's body. He looked the same as the day he gave his life force to her. She wondered if he was real, or a mirage. Maybe Jakku's heat was getting to her.

He smiled. "Real. I promise."

Rey breathed out. She climbed across the AT-AT's body. Ben reached his hand out to her.

Without hesitation she took it, her body relaxed when their hands made contact.

"I'm sorry." Rey said. "I couldn't save you."

"No." Ben pulled her close and embraced her, "I'm sorry I couldn't save us both." He said. "But I'm not sorry for what I did. Of all the things I've done in my life, I was never so sure of myself as I was when I gave you my life force."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed deeply against him.

"You did save me." He said into her ear, "Thank you." _I can't stay. I'm not strong enough yet._

She hugged him tightly, "I don't want to let go."

"You don't have too." Fear, longing, then peace filled her. Ben pulled away, and looked into her eyes, "this isn't goodbye Rey Skywalker." He touched the side of her face, gently leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Then he was gone.

Rey stared into the abyss that was Jakku. The sky was growing dark, only half of one of Jakku's suns was visible. There on the horizon appeared a figure, a shimmer in the force.

_ I will be with you, always. _

Gently the force subsided like a residing wave on an ocean shore. The distant wind howled. The sand creatures and scavengers flittered into focus.

The shimmer in the force vanished.

The connection was gone, but Ben Solo remained. He was a part of her now. They were one whole of two lives. She would miss him, and it would take time, a lot of time for her to accept what had happened. But the aching was gone. In its place was the wholeness he'd brought with him. This time she knew it wouldn't leave.

She wiped at the tears in her eyes. "I'm okay." She lifted her chin, "where going to be okay."

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**I'm not sure if maybe it's a little ooc? But thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment.**


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